Red Platy: problem?

[jeremyblevins]

yeah that's one problem the filter doesn't really need to be replaced that's marketing for the companies to make money off of the replacements. so by replacing the filter you might be causing the tank to recycle. out of curiosity when was the last time you change your media?

 

[HN1]

A better filter, or better yet a second may help some. Replacing your filter media isn't needed at all. Save your money and just swish/rinse them in old tank water or new treated water. They will be where the majority of your bacterial colonies that break down wastes reside. Completely replace them and you end up with at best a mini-cycle.

 

[Vircomore]

+1 to what Jeremy said.

The biggest problem with cartridge-based HOB (hang-on-back) filters, is that those "cotton-floss-carbon-wonder-cartridges" can get gunked up pretty quickly, and then the water just goes over the overflow and doesn't get filtered at all.

The Catch-22 is that - if you take the old cartridge out and put a brand new one in - all the bacteria that eats ammonia and nitrite will get thrown away with it.

The best way I've found to deal with a "Cartridge HOB" - is when your cartridge gets too clogged and water starts going around and over it - take the old one out - but then sit it in the resevoir behind where it's supposed to go - then put the new cartridge into the correct slot.

This gives at least some of the bacteria time to move over to the fresh cartridge. After about 24-48 hours, take the old cartridge and SQEEEZE it into the water BEHIND the new cartridge - and then you can throw it away.

 

[Judge92]

There's enough room for two of the cartridges in the filter? :S Also what do you mean by media?

 

[jeremyblevins]

in my shrimp tank i'm setting up i just got rid of the cartridge and placed two hagen aquaclear sponges in there that way i can just rinse them off in old tank water, and if i really need to i can replace them one at a time, and a pre-filter sponge provides a nice place for bacteria to grow.

here's a pic

 

[Judge92]

Updated parameters:

PH: NEAR 7.0 The colour is definitely a lot closer to 7.0 than 7.5 (unfortunately no in between lol)
Ammonia: Between 0.6 and 1.2. Right in the middle
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

Thoughts? Another 50% change?

 

[HN1]

Maybe 2.

 

[Judge92]

hehe ok, I'll do one tomorrow when I come home for lunch and then I should have time after school

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Ok well I did a change and didn't test it before. I last did a test yesterday and 2.4 was the ammonia.

Keep on with those changes in that case! In fact your level is so high that I'd suggest 50% changes twice a day! You need to keep the level under 0.25. It's quite simple to know when to do a change when you're cycling, test the water, if it reads over 0.25, then you need to change it! Obviously with quite a high level in the first place it's going to take a few changes to get it down even without any additional ammonia going in your looking at e.g. 2.5 > 1.25 > 0.625 > 0.3125 > 0.15. So that's 4 water changes to get down to an acceptable level even if there were no additional bioload!

I also change the filter when the "timer" says it's time to change.

Oh, really? That could be an issue. If you change the filter you basically undo all your hard work in cycling and have to start afresh. The usual advice is to never change a filter sponge unless it's completely falling apart, which shouldn't be too often, these things can last for years! I've had my filter sponge in for 10 months and it's still in perfect condition.

All you should do is remove it and wash it in water you've taken out of the tank and put it back in.

If you must change a filter sponge change at maximum half of it at once then leave a few weeks gap before changing the other half. It's fine to cut them in half if you need to.

 

[maxima423]

Do you suggest getting a better filter for like a 45g?

dont throw out your first filter, just get a second one, maybe a AC50, this will improve your filtration a lot

do LOTS of water changes like others have suggested and start reading up on how to cycle your tank

 

[Judge92]

Is the AC50 "rated" for a 50g then? So aren't there supposed to be some nitrates in the tank? just a small amount? Because now I have none but the ammonia is dropping significantly.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Is the AC50 "rated" for a 50g then? So aren't there supposed to be some nitrates in the tank? just a small amount? Because now I have none but the ammonia is dropping significantly.

Ammonia -> Nitrites -> Nitrates.

It's possible that you have Nitrites but not any Nitrates yet.

 

[Judge92]

The test yesterday resulted 0 for both nitrites and nitrates. Any idea as to what will happen next?

At lunch today I'm going home to do another water change I'll test it before the change this time .

 

[Mark Hewitt]

As your filter gets established ammonia will decrease then you'll see nitrites go up. Ammonia will likely get to zero before nitrites peak, then as the nitrites begin to fall you'll see nitrates start to rise before nitrites get to zero. Once ammonia and nitrites are zero, then you're done.

 

[Judge92]

Yea and that's the cycle. I just don't know why ammonia spiked so much. Could it have been because of the sick fish?

And so I know for next time. Just rinse the filter? When should I change the filter cartridge? You said to keep the old one in with a new one so that the good bacteria gets transfered?

 

[HN1]

Yea and that's the cycle. I just don't know why ammonia spiked so much. Could it have been because of the sick fish?

And so I know for next time. Just rinse the filter? When should I change the filter cartridge? You said to keep the old one in with a new one so that the good bacteria gets transfered?

The replacement of the filter is probably what led to the spike. Sick fish won't. Just rinse and reuse. Until the material is pretty literally falling apart, there is no need to replace it. I have filter media that is easily over 2 years old in some filters.

 

[Vircomore]

The most likely reason for the ammonia spike is when you replaced the filter pad with a new pad. A lot of the bacteria that runs the cycle, sits on those pads.

If you're going to try and rinse your filter pad - then yea, use your tank siphon or some other cup or w/e to drain out a good amount of tank water, then scrub the pad around in the tank water to try and get as much crap off (and out) of it as possible. Rinsing it in aquarium water instead of new water prevents the bacteria from getting killed by chlorine.

The reason I suggested the "replacement method" earlier is because I've found that it is extremely difficult to clean out a floss filter pad compared to a sponge pad. Once they get clogged with gunk, it seems like you'd need a jackhammer to get water flowing through them again - which is probably at least partially by design (so you'll buy more pads).

Again, if you absolutely have to replace the pad because water is overflowing around the pad and not getting filtered - then do A. and/or B.

A. Squeeze the **** out of the old cartridge into the water that's in the filter but behind the new cartridge. essentially you're squeezing bacteria-water right into the new cartridge.

B. If there is room in the filter - try and fit the old cartridge in behind the new one for 1-2 days before you throw it away.

 

[Judge92]

Good advice, thank you Those are things I had never heard of about the filters. Well now that I don't have to replace them I'll definitely save a lot of money lol

 

[Judge92]

So the red platy died. Definitely dropsy because of the "pine cone" look and scales sticking out. Oh well.

Tested the water this morning and ammonia was reading at 0.6. Getting better.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Sorry to hear that